WWI Memorial

Ross & Lacey Kavanagh, Dungarvan, after the ceremony in their home town.

​The 1,100 Waterford people who died in the First World War were collectively commemorated in their home county for the first time on October 6th, 2013.

The unveiling of the vast black granite WATERFORD MEMORIAL – similar in concept, if not quite scale, to the Vietnam Wall in Washington, D.C. – gives a place of remembrance on home soil to many of the families of Waterford's fallen. Approximately half of those named on the shrine have no known grave and in a lot of cases family members have never seen their relatives’ commemorated anywhere.

John, chairman of the Waterford Memorial committee, speaking at the dedication ceremony. He said the research involved was an amazing experience in itself. “I thought about doing this after meeting a number of families of soldiers who didn’t have a grave. I think people have different takes on the history, but it’s vital we remember those who served and never came home. Now they never will be forgotten.” [Noel Browne]

The monument, in the form of a simple polished black granite wall, inscribed with almost 1,100 names, was dedicated at a ceremony on the site beside King John's Castle, with Barry Andrews, CEO of GOAL, giving the oration. He was invited by John, who is chairman of the Waterford Memorial Committee, given his interest in history and humanitarian issues, as well as his Waterford connections through marriage.

The 1914-18 war was a calamity for the county and city of Waterford in which over a thousand mainly young men, and also up to five women, lost their lives. Many more were injured and traumatised by the experience of war.

Without wishing to re-visit the many historical analyses of the reasons for these men and women’s involvement in the first instance, the committee set up by John in autumn 2010 considered how such a significant aspect of the county’s history might best be remembered.

The committee came to the view that almost 100 years after the events in which they were lost, their existence as part of the history of the city and county should be remembered in a way that simply mourns their passing, as named individuals, and the loss felt by their families and friends.

The committee feels that the monument is tangible evidence of a sincere desire for friendship and respect between people of different, and until recently, irreconcilable political traditions.

The names of those people from Waterford inscribed on the Waterford Memorial to date.

Online database

The initiative to fund and commission a memorial was headed up by John, who has a deep interest in history. A memorial committee was formed and a website (left) set up dedicated to the financing and erection of an appropriate memorial. The initiative was organised with the assistance of some members of the Waterford County Museum Society.

John explained that the Waterford War Dead database established by the Library Service "was an excellent starting point for people researching their relatives. The committee's initial goal was to motivate people to get in contact so as to construct as accurate a record as is possible of those who were from Waterford." However, space has been left on the monument to add any verifiable names that were not included.

The memorial committee had set a timeline of four years to complete the project, i.e. to have it completed by 2014, the 100th anniversary of the start to the Great War.

A wreath laying ceremony was held at the Waterford Memorial in Dungarvan on the afternoon of Monday, August 4, 2014 to mark the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War.The 50ft-long black granite wall, which is inscribed with the names of those eleven hundred Waterford people who died in the Great War, was unveiled in October 2013.The centenary event was organised by Michael MacEwan, President of the Waterford branch of the Royal British Legion.Among those present was Deputy John Deasy, chairman of the Waterford Memorial Committee, pictured here with the Collins brothers from Waterford city, who lost four uncles in WWI.